EAST LANSING, Mich. — Three leaders, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, will address Michigan State University graduates during the spring commencement ceremonies on May 1.
Whitmer will speak to graduates at the Spring Convocation at 12:30 p.m. She holds a bachelor's degree in communication and a law degree from the MSU College of Law.
Christopher Fernandez, founder of Agentic Connect and former Microsoft executive, will address graduates with master's and educational specialist degrees at 9 a.m. Fernandez earned a bachelor's degree from MSU's James Madison College and a master's degree in human resources and labor relations from the university.
University Distinguished Professor Ann Austin will speak to doctoral candidates at 2:30 p.m. Austin has served on the MSU faculty since 1991 and was recently named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, an elite national distinction established in 1874.
"As our graduates prepare to enter an increasingly complex world, they are joined by speakers who have spent their careers at the intersection of leadership and global change," MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz said.
"The collective expertise of alumni Gov. Whitmer and Christopher Fernandez, as well as distinguished professor Ann Austin demonstrates that an education from Michigan State University is the foundation to solve our most pressing challenges," Guskiewicz said.
According to biographies provided by MSU:
GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER:
During her time in office, Whitmer has signed nearly 1,600 bipartisan bills and six balanced budgets, with achievements including repairing over 26,500 lane miles of roads. She has received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award and the Harry S. Truman Award for Distinguished Service in Support of National Defense. Whitmer resides in Lansing with her husband, Marc Mallory, and their family.
CHRISTOPHER FERNANDEZ:
Fernandez has over 30 years of experience in the technology and automotive industries, including 20 years at Microsoft and a decade at General Motors. He advocates for human-centered artificial intelligence that expands capability and creates economic opportunities.
ANN AUSTIN:
Austin has held leadership roles including interim dean of the College of Education and interim vice provost for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs. A Fulbright fellow, Austin has worked in over 15 countries and published extensively on faculty development and gender equity. She holds degrees from Bates College, Syracuse University and the University of Michigan.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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